on fiberglass repair products pos & neg im looking to laminate teak to the foredeck and west systems says its product is perfect for that application as well. should i use it or go else where??
i want your opinion
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Over the years
I've used West Systems epoxy for a variety of tasks, from bonding, fileting, laminating and crack filling. I've never been disappointed with this easy to use product.
I've used West Systems epoxy for a variety of tasks, from bonding, fileting, laminating and crack filling. I've never been disappointed with this easy to use product.
I agree with Warren. West is as good as any
and easy to get and use. I have used perhaps twenty varieties of epoxies in small quantities and they are all satisfactory. So if someone should offer to give you a gallon of epoxy and hardener accept it with thanks and use it. There are some filled types used for ceramic tile setting that wouldn't be of much use on a boat but for bedding some teak they would be acceptable.
and easy to get and use. I have used perhaps twenty varieties of epoxies in small quantities and they are all satisfactory. So if someone should offer to give you a gallon of epoxy and hardener accept it with thanks and use it. There are some filled types used for ceramic tile setting that wouldn't be of much use on a boat but for bedding some teak they would be acceptable.
thanx for the opps;D
i had a good feeling about what i read from west marine about fiberglass repair. my Q to them was about laminating teak to the glass deck and the book he sold me ($4) by west systems had a chapter covering this particular application
i had a good feeling about what i read from west marine about fiberglass repair. my Q to them was about laminating teak to the glass deck and the book he sold me ($4) by west systems had a chapter covering this particular application
West is as good as any brand,
and they claim to make it as safe and healthy as epoxy can be. Before you glue teak with any glue, wash the surface with acetone to remove some of the natural oil in the wood. Teak can be hard to glue because it's so oily. Wear gloves when you handle acetone as well as epoxy.
and they claim to make it as safe and healthy as epoxy can be. Before you glue teak with any glue, wash the surface with acetone to remove some of the natural oil in the wood. Teak can be hard to glue because it's so oily. Wear gloves when you handle acetone as well as epoxy.
No Oxalic acid for epoxy prep
First, oxalic acid is commonly used as a bleach and it is great for that. Woodworkers use it to remove waterstains and lighten darker sapwood prior to staining. It is a reducing agent and will not damage wood fibers as opposed to chlorine bleach which is an oxidizing agent. An additional benefit of being a reducing agent is that it is also very effective in removing tarnish from brass and bronze and in removing rust stains, these being the effects of oxidizing. One problem with using it for epoxy prep is that it has to be diluted with water and that takes a couple of days to dry thoroughly. A second problem is that it really is not that effective in removing the oil that inhibits a good epoxy bond much in the same fashion as wax or silicone does. While safer than acetone and a must have item aboard, this old wood butcher wouldn't recommend it for this purpose. I keep the stuff aboard in two products, Zud (or Barkeepers Friend) which are inexpensive and readily available powdered household cleansers containing mild abrasive talc and Kaboom a liquid tile cleaner in a spray bottle. For East coasters, Kaboom does a great job of removing the ICW moustache on your hulls.
First, oxalic acid is commonly used as a bleach and it is great for that. Woodworkers use it to remove waterstains and lighten darker sapwood prior to staining. It is a reducing agent and will not damage wood fibers as opposed to chlorine bleach which is an oxidizing agent. An additional benefit of being a reducing agent is that it is also very effective in removing tarnish from brass and bronze and in removing rust stains, these being the effects of oxidizing. One problem with using it for epoxy prep is that it has to be diluted with water and that takes a couple of days to dry thoroughly. A second problem is that it really is not that effective in removing the oil that inhibits a good epoxy bond much in the same fashion as wax or silicone does. While safer than acetone and a must have item aboard, this old wood butcher wouldn't recommend it for this purpose. I keep the stuff aboard in two products, Zud (or Barkeepers Friend) which are inexpensive and readily available powdered household cleansers containing mild abrasive talc and Kaboom a liquid tile cleaner in a spray bottle. For East coasters, Kaboom does a great job of removing the ICW moustache on your hulls.
I agree with Chris
Oxalic Acid is a good 'cleaner' and rust remover, but it is not a good oil or grease remover. For removing oil from teak, you will need acetone or something slightly milder like laquer thinner. My credentials: Owned and operated a custom woodworking shop and antique restoration business 10 years full tome and 11 yeaqrs part time. Tony B
Oxalic Acid is a good 'cleaner' and rust remover, but it is not a good oil or grease remover. For removing oil from teak, you will need acetone or something slightly milder like laquer thinner. My credentials: Owned and operated a custom woodworking shop and antique restoration business 10 years full tome and 11 yeaqrs part time. Tony B
Sandsailor
You said you wanted to laminate teak, and somehow this thread got sidetracked because the teak has oil in it and the prep is of utmost importance. Anyway, I have used many brands of epoxy and anyone of them will work just fine. I like the most expensive of them all (West Systems)the best. It is the most user friendly in that their graphs and charts as to curing times, etc are real accurate which means they have excellent quality control. I have made hundreds, possibly thousands of repairs with West Systems and never had a failure.Go with the West System. Also read all of their product guides and recommendations as to which hardener and thickeners to use. Its easier to do than to explain. Good Luck. Tony B
You said you wanted to laminate teak, and somehow this thread got sidetracked because the teak has oil in it and the prep is of utmost importance. Anyway, I have used many brands of epoxy and anyone of them will work just fine. I like the most expensive of them all (West Systems)the best. It is the most user friendly in that their graphs and charts as to curing times, etc are real accurate which means they have excellent quality control. I have made hundreds, possibly thousands of repairs with West Systems and never had a failure.Go with the West System. Also read all of their product guides and recommendations as to which hardener and thickeners to use. Its easier to do than to explain. Good Luck. Tony B
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